Meeting people you have never met before can be one of the most exciting things in the world. Some people meet celebrities, the president and some even meet a distant relative for the first time.

But, what about meeting complete strangers for the first time? While it can be very exciting and you may be in high anticipation, it can also be very scary and intimidating.

This particularly relates to the world of online dating. Though it has had a bad reputation in many respects, it has certainly had its benefits, as it has helped some people find the love of their lives.

However, there are some who have had unfortunate experiences with online dating due to the fact that they were unaware of the risks and dangers that came with it.

In the world of online dating, it’s easy to get caught up in the appearance of the people we meet on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.

Those pretty, smiling, perfect haired and nicely clothed people can be quite deceiving. Many times the picture that someone puts on a social media site is an old picture and contradicts what they currently look like.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look nice when putting pictures online, especially since millions of people will have access to it. However, we should try to be as honest as possible when representing ourselves online to prevent giving people the wrong perception.

Sure, that picture of you might help you with getting a date, but you will eventually meet up with that person and they will see that you don’t match up with the picture they saw on your profile.

You might as well tell the truth because you are only wasting time. Instead, you could be using that time to meet up with someone who actually likes what they see.

The problem is not only with appearance, though. There are people on social media who also lie about who they are as a person. For example, someone online tells you they are a manager at JC Penney’s, but they really take orders at the drive thru at McDonalds.

Others claim that they are waiting until marriage to have sex, but act the exact opposite when they are with you in person.

The list goes on and on about the things that people lie about but with the right safety tips, the traps these people lay can be avoided.

When meeting people online, first of all make sure that you are who you say you are. This will make sure that you are not at fault for any misunderstandings.

Also, be sure you are not giving out all your personal information online. Give just enough for the person to get to know you, and wait until you meet them in person to disclose any extra information.

Be sure that you and the person you are talking to are on the same page about what you both want in a relationship. Make it clear to them that what you are serious about what you want, and if they don’t line up with that criteria when you meet them, then let them go.

Online dating can be fun and enjoyable, but can also bring harm if not done in a responsible way. Be smart, use common sense and, most importantly, be safe.